A gaze changed the trajectory of her life.
On a summer afternoon in 1973, the director of the Beijing Film Studio led the film crew to a small fishing village by the sea in Fujian Province to select the scene. Hot flashes and mosquito bites overwhelmed everyone, and the director struggled to figure out how to get the job done efficiently.
Just as he was about to give up and come back again, a gentle and melodious singing voice wafted from the flower field at the entrance of the village, which seemed to attract everyone's attention like magic.
A young girl is watering flowers and plants while singing the Peking Opera "Ode to the Dragon River" briskly. The clear voice is as sweet as a mountain spring, without the slightest hoarseness; The song reveals her love and upbeat for life, as if the hot flashes and mosquitoes can't affect her in the slightest.
The director looked at it and couldn't help but be amazed - a delicate and agile face, with bright wrists like jade, crystal clear eyes, and a natural noble temperament in his gestures.
"This is what Haixia looks like in my mind!" The director said excitedly to the crew. It turned out that they were on this trip to cast for the new script "Haixia", but they have not found a suitable candidate.
Wu Haiyan, who was only 19 years old at the time, was a young actor at the Peking Opera Company in Fujian Province. Her parents worked tirelessly to train her into a drama talent from an early age, with the aim of allowing her to shine on the drama stage in the future.
After receiving the audition notice, Wu Haiyan couldn't hide her excitement and immediately began to delve into the image of this hidden, difficult, but tenacious island female militiaman.
If "Haixia" opened the door to the film and television industry, then joining Shanghai Film Studio in 1978 marked Wu Haiyan's journey to conquer the screen.
Here, she is like a fish in water, and has starred in many sensational film and television works. Directors rushed to ask her to collaborate, calling her a "versatile actor", and her popularity grew day by day.
Wu Haiyan has an unknown dream, which is to play each of the four beauties of ancient times. In 1983, the first steps of this dream came true. In the TV series "The Legend of the Raccoon Girl", Wu Haiyan successfully portrayed the role of Xi Shi.
The role is not heavy, and she has extremely high requirements for her appearance, and many people are not optimistic about her. However, Wu Haiyan was not afraid of danger, pondered quietly, absorbed a large number of historical allusions and literary descriptions about Xi Shi, and finally deduced a beautiful and charming image of Xi Shi.
This success has earned her the reputation of "powerful actor".
In 1986, in the movie "Yang Guifei", 38-year-old Wu Haiyan challenged herself again and played the role of a plump and charming concubine. Many viewers thought that her physical condition was not up to the task, but the results once again exceeded all expectations.
Wu Haiyan vividly interprets the kitsch but not vulgar temperament, and accurately locates the image characteristics of this historical figure. "Visual feast" - this is the most apt evaluation of her performance.
In the film and television industry in the 80s, Wu Haiyan can be described as a representative of the "first sister" style. She has won many awards such as the Taiwan Golden Horse Award and the Shanghai Film Festival Golden Goblet Award for Best Actress, and is among the "Top Ten Film Beauties" in Hong Kong.
However, the pleasure brought by achievements is short-lived after all, Wu Haiyan is unmoved, always maintains a peaceful and humble attitude, and speaks with her own strength and charm. Her success has become a benchmark for tens of thousands of girls in the film and television industry.
When an actor was asked "what is the proudest decision in your life", Wu Haiyan did not hesitate to say that she was married to Zhang Xiaoshen.
Zhang Xiaoshen is her teacher and her predecessor in the drama theater. The first time Wu Haiyan saw Zhang Xiaoshen was when he performed on stage. There is a bookish anger in the masculine demeanor, and the girls under the stage are all fascinated by it.
However, on the surface, he seems decisive and strong, but he is quite hesitant and cautious in the face of his inner emotions. After Wu Haiyan came back from going out to make a movie, Zhang Xiaoshen finally mustered up the courage to confess, fortunately he waited for the green light of the goddess.
The relationship between the two stems from a common theatrical complex. After getting married, Wu Haiyan gradually faded out of the art circle and put more attention on taking care of her family. Before quitting, she expressed a regret in an interview: she couldn't play the four beauties.
Fortunately, she immediately teased herself, if she was ten years younger, she might be able to challenge more different roles. This insatiable desire to explore, stemming from her love for the performing arts, is an important driver of her success.
Time flies, and the years have not left too many traces on Wu Haiyan's face, but have made her look more calm and calm. She still loves life, insists on training in opera, and often shares her life insights through her WeChat public account.
A simple and contented life is a very important lesson for her to succeed; In the face of the glitz and snobbery of today's entertainment industry, her consistent low-key calmness also inspires future generations not to be swayed by external judgments and stick to their hearts.
Wu Haiyan's life is a strong stroke in the history of the development of film and television art. We can not only feel the brilliance of that era, but also learn the wisdom of life worthy of future generations.
Wu Haiyan began Xi at the age of five and laid a solid foundation. It was these years of hard training that allowed him to be the leading role in a big movie production in his early 20s.
This shows that only by investing hard at the beginning can you shine in the best years. During the arduous filming on the set, Wu Haiyan endured the scorching heat and mosquitoes and never cried bitterness. It is precisely because she is full of enthusiasm for her acting career that the external environment cannot shake her confidence.
Therefore, we must do what we love in order to not give up in the face of adversity.
Wu Haiyan's success did not bring her the slightest pride. Every time she faces the director's invitation, she has an open-minded mentality to study; With each work completed, she is reflecting on and continuing to improve.
This attitude of never getting along with herself allows her to continue to stand at the peak of the times.
When her career was in full swing, she chose to marry a drama brother who knew and fell in love and faded out of front of the scene. Her life tells us that money and fame will eventually fade in time, and only the company of family is the destination of life.